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Synchrophasor technology is widely available embedded in modern power grid protection, metering, and recording devices. Utilizing synchrophasor measurements, a novel algorithm is proposed for fault location in multi-terminal transmission lines. In order to implement real-time synchrophasor applications, a software platform called “PhasorEye” was developed in this research. PhasorEye facilitates collecting synchrophasor data stream, visualization of decoded data, and implementation of synchrophasor applications as analysis tools. A laboratory setup involving a RTDS real-time digital simulator and a synchrophasor communication network was assembled to demonstrate and validate the use of the software and the proposed new fault location technique. Tests revealed several challenges in practical application of synchrophasor data for fault location and showed that the proposed fault location algorithm can accurately identify the faulted line segment and fault location. Additionally, several other synchrophasor applications developed by other University of Manitoba researchers were implemented and integrated into the software. / February 2017

The purpose of this in-vitro study is to compare the accuracy and reliability of a 3rd and 4th generation electronic apex locator (EAL) in locating the apical foramen when using insulated and non-insulated K files. Forty extracted human adult single-rooted teeth were coronally sectioned and placed in agar. EAL determined tooth length measurements were compared to actual tooth measurements. Comparisons to the standard measures used correlation and paired t-test. Preliminary comparisons of the groups used ANOVA to compare the means and the Brown-Forsythe test to compare variance. In the final analyses, the measurements were compared using a repeated-measures mixed-model multiway ANOVA that allowed for heterogeneous variance in the subgroups. Findings were that accuracy is not different due to insulation in the Root ZX group (p-value=0.50) but is improved in the Elements Diagnostic Unit group (p-value<.001). Reliability is nominally improved with insulation in both the Root ZX and Elements Diagnostic Unit.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: precision personnel locator; digital systems; embedded systems; waveform generation; data communication. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-110).

This paper is a study of the transformation of the North Carolina Information Locator Service (NCGILS) in the decade following its creation in 1995. The changes that NCGILS has undergone mirror then changes in the world of metadata and government information. North Carolina started NCGILS as a librarian-influenced attempt to engage all information creators in producing quality metadata. As a result of several obstacles and issues encountered during the past decade, North Carolina has essentially put NCGILS into hibernation. Today North Carolina relies on automatic harvesting of metadata and centralized efforts by state library staff instead of relying on NCGILS code. This change to an information science driven model underscores the general inability to apply librarian-influenced models in the practical world of government information. The changes, challenges and issues encountered by NCGILS provide a valuable guide for all government agencies and academic students of metadata.

"This thesis documents the design and implementation process for the next generation of the WPI Precision Personnel Location (PPL) system hardware. The driving goal of the new hardware was to support a new method of radio frequency location developed at WPI referred to as Transactional Array Reconciliation Tomography (TART). This new method is based on a time of arrival (TOA) technique as opposed to the previous Singular Value Array Reconciliation Tomography (SART), which uses time difference of arrival (TDOA). The use of a TOA method requires additional timing information and necessitates a bidirectional (transmit and receive) multicarrier transaction. The design of the new transceiver that can function as both a mobile locator and a static reference unit is the main focus of this thesis. This redesign also addressed previous hardware issues that have been exposed through extensive use in real world testing."

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: hardware accelerator; SVD; digital signal processing; FPGA. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-117).

En la actualidad existe la tendencia de humanizar a las mascotas, y cada año que pasa las personas destinan una mayor cantidad de sus ingresos hacia el cuidado de ellos, como en salud, belleza y moda. Sin embargo, a la par de este crecimiento, también se encuentran las pérdidas o robos de los animales. Tan solo en el Perú se pierden alrededor de 420,000 mascotas al año, de las cuales sólo el 18% regresan con sus dueños. La idea de negocio que se está presentando consiste en un collar geolocalizador para mascotas que estará vinculado a una aplicación móvil a través de la cual se podrá saber las 24 horas del día la ubicación exacta de quien utilice el dispositivo. El nombre de la empresa es Geopet, que además contará con un geocerco con el que se podrá establecer un perímetro de dónde no puede salirse el aparato; y en caso lo traspasara, llegará automáticamente una alerta al celular del dueño indicando hacia qué dirección debe ir a buscarlo. Sin embargo, las funciones no sólo se centran en el localizador, sino en brindarles algo más a los usuarios, por lo que también cuenta con una red social en la que los dueños de mascotas podrán interactuar y subir información de sus perros o gatos. El principal motivo para la creación de Geopet es disminuir la pérdida de mascotas en la ciudad de Lima Metropolitana y mantener la seguridad de quienes hoy en día también forma parte fundamental de las familias. / Currently, there is a tendency to humanize pets, and each year people spend a greater amount of their income on caring for them, such as health, beauty and fashion. However, along with this growth, there are also losses or thefts of Animals. Only in Perú, around 420,000 pets per year are lost, of wich only 18% return with their owners. The business idea that is being presented consists of a geolocalizer collar for pets that will be linked to a mobile application through wich you can know the extact location of who uses the device, the 24 hours a day. The name of the Company is Geopet, wich will also have a fence with wich a perimeter can be established from where the device can not leave; and in case it happens, an alert will automatically arrive at the owner`s cell indicating wich direction the animal is leaving. However, the functions not only focus on the locator, but to provide something more to users, so it also has a social network in wich pet owners can interact and upload information about their dogs or cats. The main reason for the creation of Geopet is to reduce the loss of pets in the city of Lima Metropolitana and maintain the safety of those who are now a day fundamental part of families. / Trabajo de investigación

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The objective of the present study was to determine the duration and efficacy of local analgesia produced by bupivacaine, lidocaine and ropivacaine used to block the palmar digital (PD) nerve. Nine adult horses underwent a thorough physical examination and evaluation using wireless motion sensors to determine the absence of signs of lameness. Galvanized steel clamps were used to induce lameness. The horses were randomly allocated in a crossover design (bupivacaine 7,5 mg/ml, lidocaine 30 mg, ropivacaine 11,25 mg). The objective lameness evaluations were recorded immediately before administration of the anesthetic on the digital palmar nerve, and then at 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90,120, 150, 180, 210, 240 and 300 minutes after the block. The evaluation of mean improvement in lameness after the block was performed using the Wilcoxon test (P> 0.05). The relative lameness severity (RLS) observed after the induction of lameness was 2,4 times the threshold (6mm) and the intensity of the induced lameness was similar between horses (coefficient of variance = 55,26%). Bupivacaine, lidocaine and ropivacaine were effective in blocking at least 75% of the lameness induced by clamps, 5 minutes after the block, the tested drugs improved more than 60% of the lameness. With 7.5 mg bupivacaine improved lameness in more than 90% between 10 and 60 minutes after blocking. Lidocaine (30 mg), resulted in maximal analgesia between 10 and 30 minutes after blocking and the lameness improvement was higher than 69%. Administration of 11.25 mg ropivacaine was able to improve lameness more than 86% between 10 and 180 minutes. The doses of bupivacaine and ropivacaine used in this study were effective in blocking lameness induced by clamps. The dose of 30 mg of lidocaine was not able to completely reverse the lameness. At 5 minutes of blocking, the local anesthetics tested had produced a significant improvement in lameness. Objective analysis of lameness showed a longer analgesic effect on the PD nerve block using ropivacaine than bupivacaine and lidocaine. / O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o início, a duração e a eficácia da analgesia local produzida pela lidocaína, bupivacaína e ropivacaína no bloqueio do nervo digital palmar. Foram selecionados nove cavalos adultos submetidos a exame físico e avaliação utilizando sensores inerciais para avaliar a ausência de sinais de claudicação. Braçadeiras de aço galvanizado foram utilizadas para induzir claudicação. Os cavalos foram alocados aleatoriamente em um modelo crossover (bupivacaína 7,5 mg, lidocaína 30 mg, ropivacaína 11,35 mg). As análises objetivas de claudicação foram registradas antes da administração perineural dos fármacos no nervo digital palmar e em seguida aos 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90,120, 150, 180, 210, 240 e 300 minutos após o bloqueio. A avaliação das médias de estimativa de melhora da claudicação após o bloqueio foi realizada através do teste de Wilcoxon (P>0,05). A severidade da claudicação relativa (SCR) observada após a indução de claudicação foi 2,4 vezes o limiar (6 mm) e a intensidade da claudicação induzida foi semelhante entre os cavalos (coeficiente de variação = 55,26%). Bupivacaína, lidocaína e ropivacaína foram eficientes em bloquear acima de 75% da claudicação induzida experimentalmente, 5 minutos após o bloqueio todas as drogas testadas apresentavam melhora na claudicação superior a 60%. Utilizando 7,5 mg de bupivacaína a estimativa de melhora na claudicação foi superior a 90% entre 10 e 60 minutos após o bloqueio. Com 30 mg de lidocaína a analgesia máxima ocorreu entre 10 e 30 minutos após o bloqueio e a estimativa de melhora na claudicação foi superior a 69%. A administração de 11,25 mg de ropivacaína bloqueou a claudicação em mais de 86%, entre 10 e 180 minutos após o bloqueio. As doses de bupivacaína e ropivacaína utilizadas neste estudo foram eficientes em bloquear a claudicação induzida por braçadeiras. A dose de 30 mg de lidocaína não foi eficiente em bloquear totalmente a claudicação. Cinco minutos após o bloqueio todos os anestésicos locais apresentavam melhora na estimativa de claudicação. As análises objetivas de claudicação mostraram efeito analgésico mais longo no bloqueio do nervo digital palmar da ropivacaína do que da bupivacaína e lidocaína.

"The Precision Personnel Locator project is an ongoing research project funded by the Department of Justice, the goal of which is to provide sub-meter accuracy tracking and location of first responders inside of buildings with no pre-existing infrastructure, especially in emergency situations. The PPL system consists of wearable, battery-powered Locator devices that transmit a multi-carrier “ranging signal” waveform and Reference Units that receive this ranging signal and relay the information to a Base Station for location estimation processing and display. This thesis describes the design and implementation of a subset of the Locator devices’ functionality, including: the digital generation of the ranging signal waveform; the coordination of the transmissions of many Locator devices using time-sharing methods to prevent overlap of the signals; and finally, the gathering of environmental data such as temperature and movement of the wearer and the relaying of this data back to the Base Station. To perform these tasks, two subsystems were designed and implemented as printed circuit boards. The first of these is the Data Channel, which is a low power, general-purpose communications platform that is capable of controlling the transmissions of the Locator devices with support for up to 100 Locators transmitting every second, and it can control the power of the Locator devices by switching portions of the system off when they are not in use. It also includes sensors to measure the ambient temperature, movement of the device, and a “distress button” that a first responder can press to trigger a distress signal to be transmitted to the outside of the building. The second subsystem is the Digital Waveform Generator, which consists of a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) that are capable of generating waveforms of up to 200 MHz bandwidth. The new Locator hardware can operate on battery power for many days. The two subsystems were successfully tested and will serve as an important step towards the goal of developing a deployable location and tracking system."